Mowing-machine



2 Sheets--Sheet I.

(No Model.)

W. HILL.

MOWING MACHINE.

N0. 330,116. Patented Nov. 10, 1885.7

WITNESSES DIV-EDITOR @f M ATTORNEYS.

Phaloljlhumphar, Washinglom-D. a

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. HILL.

MOWING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 10, 1-885.

HWENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

' UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

WARREN HILL, OF TOWANDA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOWlNG-MACH'INE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,116, dated November 10, 1885.

Application filed August as, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN HILL, of Towanda,in the county of Bradford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mowing-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in centercut mowing-machines, whereby undue pressure on the cutter-bar is prevented, the construction of the machine simplified, and all parts improved.

The invention consists in a mowing-machine provided with sleeves on the ends of the axle, which sleeves are provided with downwardlyprojecting arms with which the draft-pole is connected, and with downwardly and out wardly inclined arms on which a cross-bar rests, which, with the axle, supports the frame containing the gearing and shafting.

The invention also consists in numerous other devices, details, and combinations of the same, as will be fully described and claimed hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved mowing-machine, parts being broken out and others shown in section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear view, parts being broken out. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view of the front supporting-bar of the frame. Fig. 5 is a side view of the middle standard of the frame for the operating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side view of the end hanger of the same. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view on the line at m, Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the runner.

The driving-wheels A A are either rigidly mounted on the shaft B or are provided with clutches, by means of which the shaft is revolved by the said wheels. On the shaft or axle B a clutch-collar, B, is formed, which is adapted to engage with a clutch, 0, formed on a sleeve, 0, loosely mounted on the shaft B, on which sleeve 0 a flanged circular disk, D, is formed, having cogs formed on the inner surface of the flange, the said cogs engaging with a pinion, E, on a shaft, E, on which is Serial N 0. 141,306. (No model.)

journaled in the top of astandard, H, through which the shaft or axle B passes at the rear of the base of the said standard, and the front part of the base of the said standard is held by a clevis, H, on a transverse bar. J, in front of and a short distance from the axle or shaft B. Adjoining one wheel a hanger, L, is hung on the axle or shaft B, and is connected by two transverse ribs or bars,L, with the base of the standard H. On the bars L a standard,K, is formed, in which the outer end of the shaft E is journaled. The shaftF is journaled in the bottom of the standard H and in the hanger L. The standard H, the standard K, the hanger L, and the bars or ribs L, are all firmly united in a suitable manner, and form a strong solid frame, which rests on the axle and is also supported by the above-n1entioned bar J. On the back of the above-mentioned frame a bar,M, is held to slide parallel with the axle by pins passing through slots in the said bar M into the base of the standard H and into hanger L. From the said bar M two pins, m, project on the opposite sides of the cam-lever N, adaptedto swing in a vertical plane and projecting upward, whereby by throwing the said cam-lever N in one direction or the other the bar M is shifted. The bar M is provided, on that end opposite the one provided with the pins m, with a hook, m, which passes into a notch or recess in the sleeve 0, whereby the sleeve 0 and the clutch O on the same can be shifted toward or from the rigid clutch-collar B on the shaft or axle. Adjoining the hub of each wheel a sleeve, 0, is loosely mounted on the shaft or axle, from each of which sleeves an arm, 0, projects downward, and an arm, 0 is inclined down ward and outward, the said arms 0 being each provided on the upper edge with an upwardly-projecting eye, P, in which the hook ends J of the above-mentioned bar J are held loosely, and each arm 0 is provided on its outer surface, at the bottom end, with two transverse lugs, P, through which bars Q are passed and held in place by means of pins P. On the lower ends of the bars Q shoes R are held, which areprovided with standards'R. S, having a standard, S, the said runners being horizontal from the rear end to the standards S, and then bent outward and upward. Bolts 8 are passed through the standards S of the runners, and the standards R of the shoes for holding the shoes at the desired elevationabove the runners, whereby the'finger-bar will be helda corresponding distance above the ground. Each shoe is provided with a screw, R, which works in a screw threaded aperture in the same, with its head below the lower surface of the shoe and resting in a seat in the upper surface of the runner, as shown in Fig. 2. The said screw-is adjusted so that its head projects a greater or. less distance from the bottom of the shoe, according to thedistance that the shoe is adj usted above the runner. The runner is made very narrow, and decreases in width from its top to its bottom surface, so as to spread the grass more readily. On one shoe a bell-crank lever, T, is pivoted, which has one end connected with the cutter bar T and the other end connected by a connecting-rod, I,With the crank-pin G2 on the disk G on one end of the shaft F. The draft-pole U is provided on its rear end with two outwardly-curved arms,V, united by a brace-rod, V, and resting against the inner surface of the downwardly-project ing arms 0 of the sleeves O. Bolts W are passed through the longitudinal slots 0 in the arms 0, through the curved arms V, and through plates or disks at, having their inner surfaces serrated and resting against the outer transversely-serrated surfaces of the arms 0. Suitable nuts are mounted 011 the bolts W' for drawing them up tightly and jamming the plates or against the arms 0, thus holding the ends of the curved bars or arms V a greater or less distance below the shaft or axle B. If desired, any other suitable device can be provided for adjusting the bars or arms of the draft-pole. higher or lower. The horses pull on a double-tree, b, resting against the bolt 0 on the top of the pole. A hook, d, held on the double-tree b, is connected by a rod, 6, with a clevis, f, passed through apertures in the base of the standard H. Grass-rods Z extend from the shoes S to the bars V.

The operation is as follows: Motion is transmitted from the axle or shaft B through the internally-cogged wheel D to the pinion E, the cog-wheel E the pinion F on the shaft F, the end disk, G, the connecting-rod I, and the bellcrank lever T to the cutter-bar T. The frame of the operating mechanism is supported, in part, by the cross-bar J, the ends of which are held loosely in the eyes P in the arms 0 of the sleeves 0. If one end of the machine is raised more or less than the other, on account of unevenness of the ground or for other reasons, the machine will not be strained unduly or broken, nor will the working of the knife be interfered with, as the ends of the said bar J are held loosely in the apertures in the arms Each shoe rests upon a runner,

O At the same time much of the Weight of the operating mechanism is taken from the axle and transmitted by means of the said bar to the cutting device. The draft is not directly from the axle, but from points a greater or less distance below the axle-that is, from the arms O-and thereby the draft-pole has a tendency to raise the cutter-bar and the shoes without any downward pressure on the pole, as is the case with all under draft applied to center-cut machines made heretofore, andprevent their digging into the ground, which is the great difficulty in centercut mowing-machines. The finger-bar andcutter-bar can easily be adjusted to cut the grass at the desired height above the ground. If thehorses pull the machine forward too forcibly, they swing the lower ends of the arms 0 toward the front, and thereby the pole-U will also be moved toward the front, and for an instant the boltcwill be slightlyin front of the double-tree b. The strain on the double-tree b will then be transmitted through the hook d, the connecting-rod e, and the clevisf to the standard H, and by acting on the same will press the arms 0 downward, thereby swinging the arms 0 backward again,-and bringing all the parts into their normal position. The machine is thus self-adjusting in relation to its draft. The lever N, for stopping and starting the machine, can easily be shifted by the person occupying the seat. The weight is carried directly by the axle, and none is brought to bear upon the pole. The weight of the frame and machinery and the downward pressure of the machinery while working are divided equally between the two arms Q, which gives an even pressure on both ends of the outter-bar,which no other machine has, except where the pressure is transmitted from the pole, which I wish to avoid. The centers of the shafts BF and the knifebar pin should be on one line, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2-, for by arranging the parts in this manner the operation of the knife is not affected when the knife is raised more or less.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the sleeves O O,mounted on the axle or driving-shaft and provided with the downwardly-projeeting arms 0 O and the forwardly-extending arms 0 0 of the crossbar J, resting on the arms 0, and an iron frame carrying the operating mechanism, the said frame resting partly on the axle and partly on the bar J, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. 111 a mowing-machine, the combination, with the axle or driving-shaft, of the sleeves I or driving-shaft and on the bar J, and carrying the operating mechanism, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the axle or driving-shaft B,of the sleeves O O and arms 0 O and O O, the cross-bar J ,resting on thearms 0 the standard H,and thehanger L, connected by bars L, the hookclevis HT, holding the base of the standard H on the bar J, and shafts journaled in the standard H, in the standard K, on the bars L, and in the hanger L, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the axle or driving-shaft, of the sleeves O 0, having arms 0 O and O O, the bar J, a frame supported by the axle and the bar J, the sliding bar M on the said frame, the pins m on the said bar, the cam-lever N, and the sliding cog-wheel D, mounted on the axle and provided with a clutch-collar, which sliding cog-wheel is adapted to be shifted by the bar M, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the axle or driving-shaft B, of the sleeves O 0, having arms 0' O 0 0 the barJ, a frame supported by the bar J and the axle B, the clutch-collar B, the pinion E, engaging with the cog-wheelD and mounted on the shaft E, the cog-wheel E on the shaft E, the pinion F, mounted on the shaft F and engaging with the cog-wheel E the crank-wheel G on the end of the shaft F, the connecting-rod I, connected with the crank-wheel G, and a cutterbar operated from the said rod I, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the axle or driving-shaft B, of the sleeves O 0, having arms 0 0 the bars Q, held in lugs P of the arms 0 and the shoes held on the lower ends of the bars Q, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the driving-shaft or axle B, of the sleeves 0, having arms 0 and 0 the finger-bar attached to the arms 0 by means of the bars Q, the pole U, and the rear arms, V, of the same, connected with the downwardly -proj ecting arms 0' of the sleeves O, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the driving-shaft or axle B, of the sleeves 0, having arms 0 and 0 the pole U, having arms V, and nuts and bolts for holding the rear ends of the arms V adj ustably on the downwardly-projecting arms 0' of the sleeves O, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the driving-shaft or axle B, of the sleeves 0, having the arms 0 and the downwardlyprojecting arms 0, provided with vertical slots and with transverse serrations on the outer sides, the pole U, the arms V, the serrated disk a, and the bolt W, passed through the slots in the arms 0, the arms V, and the disk a, substantially as herein shown and described.

-10. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the shoe R, having the standard B, of the runner S, having the standard S, the bolt 8, passed through the standards S and It, and of the adjusting-screw B in the shoe, substantially as herein shown and described.

11. In a mowing-machine, the combination, with the driving-shaft or axle B, of the sleeves 0, having arms 0 and 0*, cutting devices sup- WARREN HILL.

Witnesses:

L. B. BoDGERs, N. P. BROWN. 

